Feeder for tile-machines.



sT. JOHN MILLER. FEEDER FOR TILE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, i914- xL o H0 O 0 II|I um www Uf |II IIIIIIIIvI m A l Witnesses 'MTE ST. lJOHN MILLER, OF PIONEER, OHIO.

FEEDER FOR TILE-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application led .Tune 25, 1914. Serial No. 847,283.

T0 all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ST. JOHN MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pioneer, -in the county of Williams and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Feeder for Tile-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to an automatic feeder for tile machines, and is particularly an improvement over the feeder for tile machines disclosed in my Patent No. 1,093,714, issued April 21, 1914.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved automatic feeder of the general nature disclosed in the said patent, which will be improved generally in its construction to enhance the utility thereof, and which possesses unique means for ad- "justing the paddle when various sizes of tiles are being formed.A

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description4 proceeds, the invention resides in the comination and arrangement of parts and 1n the details of construction hereinafter del' .feeder mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, parts being broken away.

For purpose of brevity in the present drawing, and description, reference is had to the above mentioned patent, for a description of the general tile .machinestructure and its operation, in order to enable the utility of the present feeder to be readily understoodand without requiring a lengthy description of the improved feeder.

In the drawing, the hopper of the tile machine, has been designated by the numeral l, and is provided with a lower discharge opening 2 through which the cement or other plastic material is discharged into the jacket or mold, (not shown), it being understood that the cement is dumped or discharged into the hopper from lthe chute (not shown), and that thc packer head works through an openingr 2 and into the jacket or mold to form the tile, as usual.l Various hoppers 1 are usuallyy employed interchangeably upon the tile machine, when various sizes of tiles are formed, so that the opening2 of the particular hopper'may correspond withtlie diameter of the jacket or mold. The same result may be accomplished by having the bottom plateof the hopper l removable, so that various bottom plates maybe applied to the sides of the hopper, and the bottom plates having different sized openings 2.

Coming to the present mechanism, which is in thev form of an attachment for the hopper 1, the same embodies an annular shell or ring 3 disposed concentrically above the hopper l, and having upper and lower rings 4 riveted upon its periphery adjacent its upper and lower edges. Supporting rings 5 loosely surround or embrace 'the upper and' lower edge portions Yof the shell 3, and the rings 4 of the shell are disposed between and bear against the supporting rings 5.

yThe supporting rings are bolted or otherwise secured to upright bars or standards (E which have their lower end portions bolted or otherwise secured to the sides of the hopper 1. standards G in number, and the said standards are provided with outwardly projecting offsets 7 between the rings 4, for accommodating the annular sprocket 8 provided upon the shell 3 intermediate its edges'. Thus, the standards 6 support the rings 5, while the said rings rotatably support the shell therein, and prevent the vertical movement or vibration of the shell. The shell 3 of the feeding device or mechanism is rotated at the Aproper velocity, by a sprocket chain 9 trained around the sprocket 8 and operatively connected to the vtile machine in any suitable manner, such as is disclosed in the aforesaid patent.

A ring 10 is riveted or otherwise secured within the upper edge portion of the shell 3, and is provided with a flared outstanding rim or flange 1l which serves as an annular protector or guard for the rings 4 and 5, and the sprocket 8, to prevent the cement, sand, or other foreign matter from dropping onto the said rings or sprocket, as would be objectionable for obvious reasons. The rim or-tlange l1 also facilitates the deflection of stray cement or sand into the shell 3 and thence into the hopper 1.

The paddle-carrying means embodies a hinge 12, which has one-leaf, designated 13,

.secured in any suitable manner, to the inte- There are preferably three of the while the other leaf, designated 14, of the hinge is free to swing with-in the shell to and from the leaf 13. 'Iheupper end of the paddle-hanger or pendant 15, which is preferably in the form of a bar, is riveted or otherwise secured to the leaf 14 of the hinge adjacent the hinge butts. The paddle 16, which is curved, has one end portion riveted or otherwise secured to the lower end of the hanger or pendant 15, the hanger or pendant 15. projecting below the shell 3 to work within the hopper 1, and whereby the paddle will beproperly carried about within the hopper when the shell 3 is rotated. An adjusting or jam screw 17 is threaded throughthe leaf 14 of the hinge and bears against the leaf 13, whereby by adjusting the screw 17, the normal position of the i paddle 16 may be regulated, inasmuch as the screw 17 limits the movement of the paddle 16 away from the center of the hopper. The inner end ofthe paddle v16 is thus arranged to be held adjacent or tangentially relative to the opening 2 of the hopper, by properly adjusting the screw 17. It is thus an easy matter for the operator or attendant to adjust the paddle 16 according to the particular diameter or size of the opening 2 of the hopper, in order that the present feeding device will operate effectively when various sized tiles are being formed.

A plate 18 isriveted or otherwise secured upon the interior of the shell 3 in advance of the hinge 12, with respect to the direction of rotation of the shell, as indicated by the 'arrow in F ig. 1. The plate 18 is provided with an angular inwardly projecting defiector 19 directly in advance of the hinge 12, and which protects the said hinge, the screw 17, and the hanger or pendant -15. The lower end of the deflector y19 depends int-o the hopper 1 to protect the lower portion of the hanger or pendant. Thus, the deflector 19 will prevent the hanger or pendant 15 and the hinge from being clogged by the cement, when the shell of the feeding device is rotated. In other words, the hinge 12 and hanger 15 are disposed in the angle between the delector 19 and the corresponding side portion of the shell 3, to be protected` from the cement in the operation of the feeding device.

The general operation and utility of the .present device will be obvious from the aforsaid patent, and no reiteration is deemed necessary. When the cementl is dumped or discharged from the overhead chute (not shown), it will be directedA through the shell 3 into the hopper 1, and the shell being rotated, will cause the paddle 16 to work the cement inwardly within the hopper in order that the cement will be discharged pro erly through the o ening 2 intothe underlying jacket or mol (not shown). The pressure of the cement bearing against the paddle 16,

- are being formed.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing and aforesaid patent, it is believed that the several advantages and attributes of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art, without further comment being necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. In a feeding mechanism, an`annular shell adapted to be mounted for rotation above a hopper, apaddle carrying means mounted upon the interior of the shell and including an adjustable hanger adapted to project into the hopper, and a paddle carried by the lower end'oil the hanger arranged to be adjusted, when the hanger is adjusted, to accommodate the particular size of the hopper opening. 'v

2. In a feeding mechanism, a shell adapted to be mounted for rotation above a hopper, a paddle carrying means carried by the interior of the shell and including a hanger mounted for oscillatory adjustments and means for holding the hanger at various angular positions, the hanger being adapted to project into the hopper, and a paddle carried by the lower end of the hanger to work within the hopper and adapted to be adjusted angularly when the hanger is adjusted.

3. In a feeding mechanism, a shell adapted to be mounted for rotation above a hopper, a hinged member carried by the interior of the shell, a hanger carried by the said hinged member adapted to project into the hopper, a paddle carried-by the lower 'end of the hanger to Work within the hopper, and means for holding the hinged member at various angular positions.

4. In a feedin mechanism, a shell adapted to be mounted or rotation above a hopper, a vhinged member carried by the. interior of the shell, a hanger carried by the said hinged member adapted to project into the hopper, a paddlecarried by the lower end of the hanger to work within the hopper, and an adjusting screw threaded through the said hinged member to hold the paddle against movement away from the center of the hopper.

5. In a feedin mechanism, a shell adapted to be mounted for rotation above a hoppr, a hinge havin iso and

hanger to Work Within the hopper, and a. defleetor carried by the interior of the shell in advance of the said paddle carrying 15 means and its hanger. A Y

In testimony that I claim the foregomg as my own I have hereto alixed by signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ST. JOHN MILLER.

Witnesses:

B. H. TRAXLER, D. A. SMITH. 

